In Sickness and During That Time of the Month
by musicgirl1120
Summary: When Beckett gets the flu during her time of the month, she is in for a long few days. Luckily for her, Castle is there to help her through it.
1. Chapter 1

**Here is another story I have been working on. I'm not sure if it's any good. Let me know. Hope you enjoy.**

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Kate Beckett woke up with a feeling in her stomach she hadn't felt since she was a teenager. When she was young, starting her first period when she was thirteen, she got excruciatingly painful cramps. Her first period, her mom had allowed her to stay home from school because she had been in so much pain. She had curled up in bed with her, massaging her back while Kate held a hot water bottle to her stomach. They had watch movies as Kate learned to cope with her uterus's obvious dislike for her body becoming a woman. After the first one, Kate learned to manage the pain with lots of Advil. Right around the time her mother died, her cramps had lightened substantially and she had spent most of her adult life being able to get by with minimal cramping and no back pain.

However, today was not anything like that. Her stomach and back were absolutely killing her. She knew that even with Advil, she was going to be in pain all day. She briefly thought about calling in sick, saying she had the stomach bug that was going around, but she knew that she couldn't. She forced herself out of bed and felt a chill go up her spine. She wished so badly that Castle was there, holding her and keeping her warm, but he had a deadline to reach and had gone to his apartment the night before to concentrate. She thought about calling him, but she didn't want to seem like a needy girlfriend.

She got in a burning hot shower and tried to alleviate her cramps. It did absolutely nothing. When she got out, she dressed in her most comfortable clothes that still looked professional. She decided to forgo the heel in favor of a comfortable pair of flats. She went into the kitchen to fix herself something for breakfast. She popped two pieces of bread into the toaster, grabbing a banana off the counter and peeling it slowly. She always ate bananas when she was having cramps because they were supposed to help. She ate it as she looked for some Advil, only to realize she only had one pill left. She usually took four for cramps. She would have to go to the store before work.

She was almost in tears by the time she left for work. And on top of the fact that her stomach and back were killing her, she was starting to get a headache and her breakfast was not agreeing with her. She drove to the drug store, picking up the largest bottle of Advil they sold along with a bottle of water. She also grabbed a bottle of Pepto in hopes to settle her increasingly upset stomach. She took four out of the Advil and threw them in her mouth, taking a quick gulp of water. Then she opened the Pepto and took a swig of it.

She drove to the precinct, knowing that if she hurried, she could still make it on time. She arrived at her usual time. By the time she got off the elevator, the only thing she could think about was sitting in her chair and not getting up until she had to go home. She was a bit surprised to see Rick already at her desk with the usual two cups of coffee in his hand.

"Morning," she said, as he got up, kissing her and handing her the coffee, "Thanks." She sunk into her chair, wincing a bit.

"You alright?" he asked, noticing right away.

"Yeah," she said, "Just not feeling 100% today."

"Why did you come in?" he asked, putting a hand in her back.

"I'll be fine," she said, subconsciously rubbing her stomach.

He looked her over for a moment before realizing what was going on. "You have cramps, don't you?" he asked, sitting down in a chair he had pulled up.

"How the heck did you know that?" she asked, looking at him through pained eyes.

"I know you," he said, "I have been your partner for five years. I know you inside and out." She just shook her head and went back to her paperwork.

However, her headache was slowly starting to get worse and the Advil was doing next to nothing. She picked up her coffee in hopes that it would help with the headache, but she only found that it made her already upset stomach feel worse. He noticed her not drinking her coffee and becoming slightly more pale than normal.

"You feeling alright?" he asked, putting his hand on her forehead.

"Not really," she admitted, "I have a headache, my stomach is slightly upset, and my cramps are way worse than normal."

"Why don't you go home?" he asked, "Ryan and Esposito can cover for today. Besides, it's a slow day. That stomach bug has half the city shut down."

"I guess you might be right," she said, knowing there was no point in trying to work. She was miserable and feeling worse with every passing second.

"I'll go asked Gates for the day off," she said, getting up and nearly doubling over in pain.

"Let me help you," he said, wrapping his arm around her waist.

"Yo Beckett," Esposito called as they made their way to the Captain's office, "You alright?"

"Yeah," Ryan said, "You look like crap, no offence. Did you catch the bug?"

"I'm fine," she said, "I don't have the bug, but I'm gonna take a day. You two alright without me?"

"Yeah," Esposito said, "You look like you could use a day."

"Feel better," Ryan said. The two detectives went back to their paperwork.

Castle led Beckett into Gate's office.

"Detective," Gates said, "You look like crap. Do you have the bug?"

"No Sir," Kate said, "But I would like to take a day. I'm not feeling well at all."

"Go home," Gates said, "Don't bother coming back until you are 100%. Feel better."

"Thank you Sir," Kate said, leaning on Rick as they left.

"See you later Mr. Castle," Gates called as they left.

"Goodbye Sir," Castle called as they closed the door. He led Kate to the elevator. Once safely inside, she buried her face in his chest, wrapping both arms around her stomach.

"I've never seen you like this before," he said, "Do I need to take you to the hospital?"

"No," she said, "I've had cramps like this before, just not since I was young. My mom used to curl up in bed with me and we would watch movies together while I held a hot water bottle on my stomach and she rubbed my back. I was in so much pain, but somehow, she made it all seem just a little better. After she died, I never had problems like this."

"I'm sorry," he said, as he guided her to her car, helping her into the passenger's side before taking her keys and getting in the driver's side.

"Is there anything I can do to help you?" he asked, seeing her wince as he started driving.

"No," she said, putting her head on the window.

She was suddenly very warm and the glass was cool thanks to the chilly fall day. He rubbed her shoulder as they drove. They spent the rest of the ride in silence, Kate attempting to keep herself from crying. She fell asleep a few minutes later.

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**I know it might seem a little out of character for both of them, but we have never seem Kate sick before (Hint Hint writers). This is what I think she would be like if she were. Please let me know if you want more.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you all so much for the amazing response to this story. Here is the next chapter. Hope you enjoy.**

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_She was suddenly very warm and the glass was cool thanks to the chilly fall day. He rubbed her shoulder as they drove. They spent the rest of the ride in silence, Kate attempting to keep herself from crying. She fell asleep a few minutes later._

She was out until he woke her up. She opened her eyes, squinting as the bright sun burned her eyes, bringing with it a wave of nausea.

"Why are we here?" she asked, swallowing the nausea as she noticed they were at his apartment.

"I thought it would be better if you were here," he said, "Alexis is at college and my mom went to the Hamptons for a few weeks so we are alone and it's quiet here."

"I don't have my stuff here that I need," she said as he helped her out of the car.

"I know that," he said, "That is why I stopped by your apartment and grabbed this," he said, pulling a bag out of back of his car.

"Thanks," she said, leaning against him, arms around her stomach.

"Let's go, Kate," he said, wrapping his arms around, "You can lie sown as soon as we get upstairs."

She nodded as they walked to the elevator. As it started moving, her stomach lurched and it took everything in her power not to throw up right there. He felt her tense up.

"Kate," he said, "Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yeah," she said as they got off the elevator, "I'm just super nauseous."

"Are you sure you don't have that bug?" he asked unlocking his door.

"I don't know," she said, tears forming in her eyes, "I just don't feel good."

"Babe," he said, pulling her into a hug, "What is going on with you?"

"I sometimes get really emotional during, you know," she said, "Sorry."

"It is completely alright," he said, rubbing her back, "I'm just not used to seeing you like this."

"I miss my mom," she said into his chest.

"I know," he said, running his fingers through her hair.

"Would you like to go to bed?" he asked, kissing her hair.

She nodded into his chest.

"Let's go," he said, guiding her into his bedroom.

She took the bag from him and went into the bathroom to change. Normally, he would help her change, but she needed a little bit of space. She smiled as she opened the bag, realizing he had packed everything she needed. The bag contained her favorite fuzzy purple pajama bottoms and her favorite t-shirt that was three sizes too big along with her heating pad, her favorite pair of fuzzy socks and a smaller bag containing tampons and pads. She quickly changed into her pajamas and went back into his bedroom, curling up under the covers.

"Can I get you anything?" he asked, kissing her forehead and realizing she was feverish.

"Will you lay with me and rub my stomach?" she asked.

"I'll be right back," he said, going into the bathroom and digging around until he found the thermometer he bought a few years ago when Alexis had gotten strep. It was a fancy temporal thing that he could use when she was sleeping. He brought it into the bedroom and put it on her forehead, taking her temperature before she even knew what he was doing.

"What is that?" she asked.

"A thermometer," he said, "You have a fever of 102.6."

"No wonder I feel like crap," she said, "the one time that I've had cramps like this when I was an adult, I ended up coming down with the flu. I asked the doctor about it and he said the extra stress from being sick caused the cramps to be worse."

He nodded, pulling on a pair of sweats and a t-shirt before climbing into bed next to her. He put his arms around her, rubbing her stomach gently. She let out a little whimper and he stopped.

"Did that hurt you?" he asked moving his hands.

"No," she said, rolling over to face him, "My stomach is just very upset right now."

"Are you going to be sick?" he asked, sitting up.

"I don't think so," she said, swallowing hard in attempt to make the incessant nausea disappear, "Can you just hold me?"

"Of course," he said, running his hand through her long hair.

She laid here as still as possible, feeling as though if she moved, she would be sick for sure. However, after about five minutes, laying still was doing nothing and she felt the nausea growing in her stomach. She pushed him off, bolting into the bathroom. She opened the toilet lid and knelt down in front of it, a moment of calm before she began to gag. She dry heaved for a few seconds before she brought up her breakfast. She felt a hand grab her hair off her neck and another one rubbing gently circles on her sweaty back. When she was done, she put her head on the toilet seat for a moment, trying to catch her breath.

"You alright?" he asked, still rubbing her back. "Just splendid," she said, glaring at him with all the anger her sick eyes could manage.

"Sorry," he said, "Stupid question. Are you alright to go back to bed or do you want to stay here?"

"Here," she said pitifully, "I don't think I could get back here if I have to throw up again."

"Alright," he said, getting up and leaving the bathroom.

_I wish he would have stayed_ she thought _but I can't blame him for not wanting to stay in here with me. I must look awful._

Just as she was about to lay down on the rug, he came walking back in with a few blankets, a pillow, a bottle of water and a packet of something.

"You came back," she said, a small smile on her lips.

"Always," he said, kissing her forehead before putting a blanket on her and putting the pillow on his lap, helping her lay down.

"Thanks," she said, as she smiled up at him.

"Here," he said, adding the packet into the water bottle, shaking it, and handing it to her.

"What is that?" she asked, looking at the now cloudy liquid.

"It's a rehydration solution," he said, "And it's strawberry, your favorite."

"Why do you have this?" she asked, "Did you know I was going to get sick?"

"Well," he said, "I noticed yesterday you were rubbing your temples like you had a headache and you didn't seem very hungry when we went out to dinner last night. I decided to be prepared just in case."

She smiled for a second before a cramp took hold and she curled into a ball, trying to will away the pain and nausea away. Suddenly, she shot out of his lap, gagging and throwing up again. He rubbed her back gently, whispering softly to her. She was in tears when the vomiting finally stopped.

"Come 'ere Kate," he said, pulling her into his lap. She put her head on his chest, tears still flowing.

"I'm sorry," he said, rocking her slightly in his arms. She just stayed in his lap, relishing in the warmth of his body as she fell asleep.

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**If you have any comments/criticism/ideas, let me know. Thanks so much.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you all so so so much for your amazing patience and support with this story. It makes me so happy you are enjoying this. I hope you like this next chapter.**

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She awoke with a start, lurching for the toilet before she was even coherent. She retched violently, feeling intense camps the entire time she was throwing up. She was vaguely aware of a hand on her back, rubbing soft circles. She collapsed backwards once her stomach had finally rid itself of all its contents.

"I gotcha," Castle said, running his hands through her hair. Tears were flowing down her face against her will, but she was too tired to wipe them away.

Once her stomach was less upset, Kate noticed she felt strange. She looked down and immediately figured out why. There was a gigantic stain of blood all over her pajama pants. A deep blush overtook her fevered cheeks as mortification set in.

"Castle," she said, trying to push him away, "Get out. You don't need to see this."

"Kate," he said, catching her as she tried to stand and nearly fell over from pain and exhaustion, "I don't mind. I have seen Alexis through many situations worse than this. Let me help."

She was too exhausted to fight, tears began running down her face as he pulled her close to his chest, trying to comfort her. He held her until her tears tapered off.

"I'll be right back," he said, getting up, careful not to jostle her too much. He returned a few moments later with a pair of pajama bottoms she guessed she had left there at some point in time, and one of his t-shirts she had claimed as her own a few months before. He also had the little bag filled with pads and tampons.

"Could I shower?" she asked weakly as he handed her the items.

"Of course," he said, "Can you do it yourself or do you need my help?"

"I should be alright," she said, weakly, attempting to turn on the shower, but finding herself too weak to pull the handle to start it.

"I got it," he said, easily pulling the handle, "Are you sure you can do it alone?"

"I'll call if I need anything," she said, feeling a wave of intense nausea hit her, sending her back to the toilet bowl.

"Kate," he murmured, stroking her soft hair. She finished throwing up a few seconds later, not having much left in her stomach to throw up. They sat there for a few seconds until she decided it was time to get in the shower.

"Go Castle," she said, shoving him toward the door as best as she could without getting up, "I'll be fine."

"Alright," he said, getting up, "Call out if you need me."

As soon as he was gone, she stripped off her soiled pants and sweaty t-shirt. She then carefully took off her underwear which were now more red than their original pink, and stepped into the shower.

As soon as she was in, she felt faint, and grabbed the side of the tub for support. Once she felt more stable, she grabbed her cherry scented body wash she kept at his place and quickly applied it to the wash cloth he had placed in the shower for her.

She scrubbed her body until she felt somewhat clean, knowing she needed to get out soon for three reason: 1) her stomach was starting to protest the standing and she was sure she would be praying to the porcelain god if she didn't get out soon, 2) she was starting to feel light headed and really didn't want to pass out in the shower, and 3) Castle was probably freaking out and as much as she loved messing with him, right now, she wasn't in the mood for his antics or stories.

She turned off the water and grabbed the towel he had set out for her, drying herself while holding onto the counter for support. She got her feminine products in place before pulling on her new pajamas, relishing in his scent which was on the t-shirt.

As soon as she was dressed, she opened the door slightly before doubling over as a cramp hit her like a ton of bricks.

"Come here, Kate," he said, pulling her close and wrapping his arms around her as tears began to fall from her eyes. They sunk down to the floor just outside the bathroom, her head on his lap as he attempted to massage her stomach without making her throw up again. After a few minutes, she uncurled her body slightly.

"Want to go to bed?" he asked, stroking her hair gently.

"Please," she said, sitting up slightly. She started to push herself up, but Castle stopped her, picking her up gently and carrying her bridal style into the bedroom, laying her gently on the bed. He carefully turned off the lights before placing a bucket next to her on the floor, just in case, and crawling in next to her. He smiled as she snuggled into him, her back against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, gently rubbing her stomach as she drifted between consciousness and sleep.

Suddenly, she shot up, grabbing the bucket and retching into it, bringing up nothing more than stomach acid. He rubbed her back as she continued dry heaving, gripping her stomach the whole time. When she finished, he pulled her close.

"This sucks," she said, tears flowing down her face, "Why can't this just stop."

"I know," he said, stroking her hair, "I know. But you'll feel better soon, alright?"

She nodded, snuggling into his chest, rubbing her temples as a headache began to gather in them.

"Do you want to try some more rehydration solution?" he asked, knowing dehydration caused massive headaches.

"Not really," she said, "I would, but I will just bring it back up."

"Let's try," he said, kissing her forehead, noting the warmth radiating from it.

He got up and grabbed the bottle from the counter in the bathroom where he had left it. He opened it and held it to her lips, knowing her shaking body wouldn't be able to hold it without spilling. She drank a few sips before stopping, curling back into a ball on the bed. He recapped the bottle, placing it next to the bed before curling up next to her, praying the solution stayed in his girlfriend's sick body long enough to help her.

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**I hope this pleased all of you. Please let me know if this should wrap up soon or what should happen next. Thanks so much for reading.**


	4. Chapter 4

**I am floored at the response to this story. I never thought that everyone would be so responsive. I hope this chapter is a good surprise for all of you.**

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She slept for about twenty minutes which was good. However, what woke her was not good. Her stomach was cramping terribly and she could barely move.

"Castle," she called, feeling the nausea take over and knowing she could never make it to the bathroom. He came running in from who knows where, grabbing the trash can and helping her sit up as she retched. Nothing came up but a mouthful of stomach acid, but she still felt horrible. She gasped as another cramp took over her body.

"That's it Kate," he said, getting up, "We are going to the hospital."

She just nodded, stunning him for a second before her snapped back into action. He picked her up, grabbing the keys and carrying her to the car. She curled up in the back seat as he drove as quickly as he could to the hospital. When they arrived, he picked her up and carried her inside. Just as they walked in, another cramp hit her and it took everything in her power not to scream in pain.

"We need help," Castle yelled, running to the desk, "She is an NYPD detective. She came down with the stomach bug that has been going around and is also on her period, but she is having agonizing cramps and I think something's wrong."

The nurse took one look at Kate's pale face and brought them back to a room.

"Her name is Kate Beckett," Castle said as the nurse pulled out a thermometer.

"Kate," the nurse said, "I need you to put this under your tongue alright?"

Kate nodded, taking the thermometer. As she held it there, the nurse turned to Castle.

"How long has she been sick?" the nurse asked.

"Since this morning," he said, "And I think she started then as well. She said she's had cramps like this before, but this seems like something more."

Just then another cramp overtook Kate and she grabbed Rick's hand, digging her nails into it as tears ran down her face.

"Her temp is 103," the nurse said, "I'm going to get an ultrasound to see what's going on with her belly." Rick nodded as Kate continued gripping his hand.

"It's alright, Katie," he whispered, using the name her dad used to comfort her, "We'll get this figured out."

Kate nodded as the pain started to subside slightly. "I know," she said, leaning into him.

Just then, the nurse came back in with the ultrasound machine. "Let me just take a look," she said, helping Kate lay down on the exam table, "This might be cold," she explained as she squirted the gel onto Kate's stomach. She pressed down slightly, looking over Kate's stomach, "Well," she said, getting up quickly and heading toward the door, "I need to go page someone. I'll be right back."

As she hurried out of the room, Kate looked at Rick, panic written all over her face.

"What's going on?" she asked, tears forming in her eyes again.

"I don't know," he said, holding her hand tightly, "But I'm sure you're going to be alright." Truth be told, he was terrified, but he didn't want her to know. He wanted to protect her and keep her from ever having to enter the doors of this place again.

Just then, a doctor came running in followed by the nurse from earlier.

"Hello," the doctor said, "My name is Dr. Samantha Riley, OB/GYN."

"OB?" Kate questioned, "What's wrong?"

"Let me take a look," Dr. Riley said, picking back up the wand for the ultrasound. After a few seconds, she nodded, putting the wand down.

"I want to admit you," she said, taking off the gloves she had put on when she had walked in, "It appears you were pregnant with triplets."

"Were?" Kate asked, tears filling her eyes as she looked at the doctor.

"Yes," the doctor said, "I'm sorry. One of them seems to be miscarrying. However, the other two look healthy and strong. This happens often in multiple pregnancies. It doesn't mean you did anything wrong. Most of the time one of the babies is simply not healthy enough to live so it dies. You are about eight weeks along. Most of the time this happens around then. I'll send someone down to admit you."

Kate nodded, still numb from the news. _Triplets_ she thought _now twins. I lost one, but I'm still having two. We're not even married. What if he wants to leave? How will I handle two on my own? What am I going to do? _

"Kate," she heard, which startled her out of her thoughts, "It's alright. I'm so sorry about the baby."

She pushed him away as he tried to hug her.

"Kate," he said, looking hurt, "It's not your fault. You couldn't have known nor done anything. You heard the doctor. It happens all the time."

She broke down in tears, not letting him touch her at all.

"Are you leaving?" she asked, looking up at him with a tear stained pale face.

"Leaving?" he asked, confused, "Why would I leave?"

"You never said you wanted more kids," she said, a sob escaping, "And now you are having two. If you want to leave, that's alright. I understand. I…"

"Kate," he cut her off, pulling her to him in a hug, "I will never leave you so long as I can help it. I love you and I love these babies. All of them. I never told you I wanted more because I didn't think you wanted to have kids. I love kids. I always wanted more and ever since I met you I wanted to have kids with you, to be a family."

He pulled a small bag out of his pocket and pulled out a ring, getting down on one knee. "Katherine Houghton Beckett," he said, "Will you make me the happiest man alive and agree to marry me?"

She broke down into tears as she nodded her head slightly. He slipped the ring on her finger, grabbing her into a hug just as another cramp took hold of her body. He held her as she cried, the pain now only serving as a reminder of her lost baby. After about thirty seconds, it slowly started to subside, leaving her curled in his lap. He stroked her hair gently, trying to be strong for his fiancé who needed him to be her rock.

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**Hope this is to all of your satisfactions. Want to read more? What should happen next? Thank you so much for reading this and supporting it.**


	5. Chapter 5

**WOW, that's all I can say other than thank you so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so much for your amazing response to this story. Now I know a few of you didn't like the proposal in the last chapter because it seemed to be in a bad place, but I felt that Kate needed that ****commitment in a more tangible form than just words. Also, just to clarify, she did loose one baby, which will be much more clear in this chapter. Alright, enough of my pointless rambling, here is the next chapter.**

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Kate was admitted to a room, given an IV of saline, and also some pain and nausea medicine that was safe for the twins she was still carrying. He held her hand tightly as the painful cramps continued for another hour or so. As she felt them ease up, the doctor came in to check her, confirming that the miscarriage of the baby was complete. She couldn't do anything but sob as Castle climbed into the hospital bed next to her, holding her close to his chest as tears silently fell down his own face.

"I know," he said, rubbing her back as she cried into his shirt, "I know."

They sat there for a while, simply allowing the tears to run for their baby they had never gotten a chance to meet.

"We are going to have a memorial for the baby," Kate said, looking at Castle with red, puffy eyes, "We need to."

He nodded, "Of course," he said, we can invite whoever you want." He knew this was an important part of grieving for her and him as well. He held her for a while longer until the doctor came in.

"Now I know this is a hard time for both of you," Dr. Riley said, sitting down on a stool she pulled up next to the bed, "But you still have two healthy babies I would like to talk to you about. Are you ready?"

Kate nodded as she leaned against Castle for support. "Now it appears that your remaining babies are identical twins, which is great. They appear to be developing normally. Now, I know you are an NYPD detective because I got out your files. All things considered, I would like you to be placed on desk duty until these two are born. You can continue working unless something happens, but I don't want you out in the field making arrests and chasing down suspects. I also am going to give you these pamphlets on twins and pregnancy. They should help you in the coming months. This is your first pregnancy correct?" Dr. Riley asked, looking to Kate.

"Yeah," Kate said, voice rough from crying, "But Castle has a daughter from another marriage."

"Good," Dr. Riley said, "Then he has some experience. However, twin pregnancies are a bit different. There is a good chance you will end up on bed rest as you get closer to your due date, which I would place around June 5th based on the measurements and the date of your last cycle."

"Wait," Kate interrupted, "I didn't fill out any paperwork, how do you know the date of my last cycle?"

"Your…" Dr. Riley paused, looking to Castle.

"Fiancé," Castle answered, looking down as Kate smiled subconsciously at the sound of that word, "I filled out the paperwork while they were transferring you up here."

"Yes," Dr. Riley said, smiling at him, "By the way, didn't you notice you were very late?"

"Not really," Kate confessed, "This past year and a half has been stressful and I haven't really been super regular. I've missed periods before and then they would start again, which is what I thought was happening today."

"I see," Dr. Riley said, scribbling down something on her pad, "I see you aren't on birth control. Would you like to start it after the babies are born?"

"No," Kate said, "I took the pill for a few months in college and they made me super nauseous and moody so I stopped. I have tried most of the others as well, but they make me sick so I don't use them."

"Alright," Dr. Riley said, "Now I am planning to keep you here over night. Your fiancé is welcome to stay if he would like."

"Thank you," Kate said, snuggling into Castle.

"Aright," Dr. Riley said, "I just need to get a temperature on you and then I will go." She took Kate's temperature which was down to 101.3 and left the couple alone.

"Should we call Lanie and the boys?" Castle asked, kissing her hair.

"Can we wait?" she asked, closing her eyes, "I will call them when I get released. I don't want to see anyone now." He nodded, holding her as she slipped off to sleep.

Castle let his mind wander as she slept. What would their baby have been like? Would it have had her brilliant hazel eyes and curly light brown hair or his brown eyes and deep brown hair? Would it have been a boy or girl? A writer, athlete, thespian, lawyer, doctor, cop? Have his over imaginative mind or her serious, compassionate one? He continued wondering about his lost child for another hour, silent tears slipping down his cheeks and into her hair. He could have thought about the baby for the rest of the day, but she woke up with a start.

"Carson," she whispered, looking at him, "That is the baby's name. Carson Beckett Castle. I don't know if it was a boy or girl, but I had a dream I was calling out for Carson to come home, looking frantically and never finding this little child." Tears were running down her face as she told him about her dream.

"Carson it is," he said, kissing her hair, "I'll bet he or she would have been perfect." She nodded as more tears poured out of her swollen eyes.

They spent the rest of the night sleeping for small amounts of time. She woke up more than once from her dreams, always about this small child named Carson who was lost.

By morning, all she wanted was to be out of the hospital and home in bed. Her fever was down around 100 which was good and her nausea was gone after she threw up one the next morning, which Dr. Riley said could be morning sickness. Kate was released after making a follow up appointment for the following week with Dr. Riley. Castle thanked Dr. Riley as a nurse pushed Kate down the hall and toward the exit.

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**I promise the next chapter will have some Lanie and the boys in it. I am going on vacation next week though and then I have camp and I just got a job so updates might be a little slower than they have been. I promise to still work on this though. More reviews=me pushing this to the front of the stories I'm working on. Thanks so so much for reading. Let me know your thoughts. Thanks again.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry for waiting so long to update this story. I am really really grateful for all the reviews, follows, and favorites this story has gotten. I hope you all like this next chapter. Thanks for reading.**

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They arrived home a little after 9 am and Kate was exhausted. Castle helped her into bed, brushing a strand of hair from her pale, tear-stained face. She had been crying most of the night while he held her. He decided to crawl in next to her, letting her snuggle into his chest as her breathing evened out.

He felt his own silent tears slide down his cheeks as he looked at her. He couldn't even imagine how painful this must be for her. He was having a hard enough time and he hadn't experienced half of what she had. He kissed her hair, closing his eyes and willing sleep to come.

They slept until a little after noon, which was good considering the doctor had decided to put her on a few days off of work and strenuous activity to protect the other two babies.

Shockingly, Kate had no dreams as she had had the night before. As they both awoke, she looked at him with a sad face.

"We need to call Lanie and the boys," she said, knowing it was time to tell their closest friends, "And Alexis and Martha too."

He nodded, knowing she was right. "Would you like me to call?" he asked, stroking her hair as she sat in-between his legs, head resting on his shoulder.

"Please," she said, knowing she couldn't make those calls, "Invite them all to come over in a few hours."

He nodded, grabbing his phone. "Why don't I go whip up some lunch for us too," he said, getting up.

She nodded. "Nothing heavy," she said, her stomach still feeling a little sensitive, "I'm going to shower."

"Alright," he said, helping her up, "Call if you need me."

She nodded, heading for the bathroom as he went to the kitchen, dialing Lanie's number.

"Hello," the medical examiner answered after three rings.

"Hey Lanie," Castle said.

"Hey writer boy," she said, "How is Beckett? Javi said she looked pretty bad yesterday."

"She'll be alright," he said, grabbing out the ingredients for chicken soup, "Would you and Esposito be able to come over around three?"

"Is Kate up to having people over?" Lanie asked, knowing when her friend was sick, it took a while for her to get better.

"Yeah," he said, "She asked me to invite you guys over."

"Alright lover boy," Lanie said, "See you then."

"Bye," he said, hanging up the phone before beginning to chop the ingredients for the soup. Once they were chopped, he added the vegetables to the bottom of a pot, beginning to sauté them as he called Ryan.

"Hello," the detective's voice rang over the phone.

"Hey," Castle said, "Are you and Jenny free around three?"

"Yeah," Ryan said, "That's just after Olivia's nap so we are free."

"Would the three of your be able to come over?" Castle asked, stirring his pot.

"Is Beckett up to that?" Ryan asked, "She was obviously sick yesterday."

"She's doing better," Castle said.

"Alright," Ryan said, "See you guys then."

Castle hung up, adding some chicken stock and spices to the pot he was stirring. Once that was done, he put a lid on it, dialing Alexis's number.

"Hey dad," the young woman said when she picked up, "What's up?"

"Hi sweetheart," he said, "I was wondering if you could come home around three for a little get together."

"Is everything alright Dad?" Alexis asked, noticing the slight stress in her dad's voice.

"Yeah," he said, "I… we just want you to be here this afternoon."

"Alright," she said, "I'll be there."

"Thanks Sweetheart," he said, "How's school been going?"

"Good," Alexis said, "I've been busy, but good."

"Oh good," he said, smiling thinking of having two more children to have conversations with one day, "I need to go. I'll see you soon. Love you."

"Love you too, Dad," she said, hanging up.

Just as Castle took a bag of pre-grilled chicken out of the fridge, Kate walked out of the bedroom dressed in a clean pair of pajamas.

"Hey," she said, sitting down at the bar stool, "Smells good."

"Chicken soup," he said, adding the chicken into the pot of vegetables. She smiled tiredly at him as she watched him stir the pot.

"Did you call everyone?" she asked as he handed her a cup of water.

"Everyone except my mother," he said, "However, she is in the Hamptons and told me not to bother her unless it was absolutely necessary. I figured we could just tell her when she gets back."

"I guess," Kate said, closing her eyes and letting her head rest in her hands.

"Are you alright?" he asked, coming around the island and gently rubbing her shoulders.

"Just not feeling 100%," she said, "But Dr. Riley said that's normal after... Plus, I just got over the flu."

"I know," he said, kissing her cheek, "How about I get you some chicken broth and you can eat."

She nodded, putting her head up.

"Why don't we eat on the couch," he said, ladling the soup into bowls and grabbing a sleeve of saltines and a bottle of PowerAde. He brought them to the couch where she was wrapped in a blanket.

The doctor said her fever might stick around for a few days, but she should be better in about 5 days. He handed her a bowl of soup and they both ate in silence, just enjoying each other's company and closeness.

After a few minutes, both of them finished their bowls and he carefully took them to the kitchen before rejoining her on the couch.

"I love you," he whispered, stroking her hair gently as she placed her head on his chest.

"I love you too," she said, turning to kiss him on the lips.

"Kate," he said suddenly as she looked into his eyes, "I need you to know I'm here for you. Not matter what, I am here for you. You can tell me anything."

"I know," she said, kissing him again, "And you can tell me anything too."

He nodded, pulling her close.

"I need to get ready," she said a few minutes later, "It's almost two-thirty and I'm still in pajamas."

"You look gorgeous," he said as she got up, "Besides, no one will care how you look."

"Thanks," she said, smiling at him with fever glistening eyes, "But I at least want to put my hair up and put on a different shirt."

"Alright," he said, getting up and going into the kitchen, "I'm gonna whip up some artichoke dip and a fruit salad."

She nodded, disappearing into the bedroom. Her stomach was still a bit sore and her nausea hadn't gone completely, but she felt better than she did the day before, physically at least. Emotionally, she was running on empty. She was aching for her lost baby, terrified for the other two, and fearing telling her family and friends the news.

She grabbed a shirt out of the closet, opting to keep on the yoga pants she had pulled on after her shower. She changed before going into the bathroom, grabbing a hair tie off the counter and braiding her hair quickly.

As she turned to leave the bathroom, she noticed the pair of pajama bottoms that had been ruined the day before. She hadn't seen them earlier, but now it was like a punch in the gut. She leaned up against the wall, sliding down it as tears overcame her. Her sobs were loud enough for Castle to hear in the kitchen and ran as fast as he could into the bathroom.

"Are you alright?" he asked, seeing her on the floor, "Are you feeling sick again?"

She just pointed a shaking finger at the pajama bottoms, sobbing. He immediately understood, sitting down next to her and wrapping his arms around her, kissing her head as she cried. He didn't even know what to say. Nothing seemed enough to say to her at this moment. He knew they still had two babies left. He knew she knew this too, but he also knew she needed to be allowed to grieve. He just held her as the sobs broke off and eventually stopped all together.

"I love you," he said, holding her to his chest, "Never forget that."

She nodded, giving him a watery smile as they got up. He handed her a washcloth which she ran under cold water to bring down the puffiness the tears had brought to her eyes.

"I look like such a mess," she said, wiping her nose which had started to run during her break down.

"You look gorgeous," he said, kissing her cheek. Just as he did that, the doorbell rang and she dried her face, ready to face her friends and family with the news.

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**Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Let me know what should happen next. How will everyone react to the news? Will Kate be able to tell everyone? Let me know what you want. Thanks again for reading.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank you so much for all the feedback. Even though I know it is considered "bad luck" to tell about your pregnancy before the first trimester is ended, I felt that Kate and Castle needed to tell everyone, especially because she will be on desk duty. I hope you enjoy this chapter. **

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He left her to finish getting ready as he went to answer the door, grabbing the soiled pajama pants on his way out, tossing them in the garbage. When he got to the door, he opened it, finding Jenny, Ryan, and 10 month old Olivia standing outside.

"Hey guys," he said, letting them in, "Thanks for coming."

"Thanks for having us," Ryan said, taking Olivia from Jenny so his wife could remove her coat. Castle took the coats from his guests, hanging them in the front closet.

"Where's Kate?" Jenny asked, looking around, "Kev said she was sick yesterday. Is she doing alright?"

"I'm ok," a voice came from the bedroom doorway.

Kate came out, her eyes still a bit red, but better than they had been. She walked to Castle who put his arm around her.

"Come on in guys," Castle said, leading them to the couch.

"How's Olivia doing?" Kate asked Jenny, looking at the little girl who was happily sitting on her mom's lap.

"Really good," Jenny said, "she and I had the stomach bug thing last week, which was rough, but we're doing much better now."

"That's good," Kate said, smiling as her pseudo-niece reached for her.

"Can I?" Kate asked, looking at the little girl.

"Of course," Jenny said, handing Olivia to Kate. The baby smiled at her, giving Kate a small sense of peace she hadn't felt in quite a while.

Just then, the doorbell rang, forcing Rick up and to the door. Lanie and Esposito were standing outside along with Kate's dad.

"Hey guys," Castle said, letting them in.

"Dad?" Kate said, smiling.

"I called him too," Castle whispered into her ear, "But I wanted it to be a surprise."

"Thanks Rick," she whispered, smiling slightly. Her dad had been her rock for a long time and she needed him here with her.

"Girl," Lanie said, going to her best friend, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine Lanie," she said as Lanie gave her a hug, careful not to crush baby Olivia.

"You know you can always talk to me," Lanie whispered into her ear.

"I know Lanie," Kate whispered back.

"Hey guys," a voice from the doorway sounded.

"Alexis," Kate said, getting up, handing Olivia back to Jenny. Alexis hugged Kate tightly, sensing something was off with the older woman.

"Are you alright Kate?" Alexis asked, pulling back slightly and studying the older woman's face, "Why were you crying? Did my dad do something?"

"Your dad is innocent," Kate said, giving Alexis a small smile, "I'm doing ok."

Alexis eyed her with a suspicious glance before getting swallowed into a hug by a certain writer. Kate then went to her dad, receiving a warm embrace.

"Katie," he said, "Something's not right with you."

"I'll tell you soon Dad," she said, not releasing his embrace, "Promise."

He kissed her head, hating that his baby girl wouldn't tell him what was wrong. As she released, he noticed her finger bearing a ring.

"Katie," he whispered, grabbing her hand, "What is this?"

"I'll tell you soon," she said again, "Come on in and sit down."

As everyone sat down and Castle put out the food he had made, Kate knew it was time for the announcement. Castle came over to her side, sensing her worry and pain.

"We need to tell them Rick," she said, resting her head on his chest as he hugged her.

"Alright," he said, turning to the rest of the room, "Attention everyone. We have a few announcements."

"First off," Kate said, deciding to start with happy news first, "We are engaged."

She held out her hand which bore the ring he had given her the day before. "Oh my goodness" and "Congratulations" were heard all around.

Alexis hugged both of them. Her dad hugged her and shook Castle's hand. Lanie hugged her and warned him about breaking her heart. The boys offered hugs and handshakes as did Jenny. Once everyone was seated again, Kate grabbed Castle's hand for support, knowing what was next.

"Also," she started, feeling tears welling up, "Yesterday, I was pretty sick and eventually, we went to the ER where they told us…I…we…sorry…" she broke into sobs, running into his room, ignoring all the shocked sounds from their friends.

"Excuse me," he said, running after her.

He found her curled up in a ball on their bed, sobs racking her small frame. He pulled her to him, letting her sob into his chest as they sat on the bed. After a few minutes, the sobs had turned to lighter tears. As this happened, a small knock on the door was heard.

"Come in," Castle said, rubbing Kate's back gently. Alexis entered slowly.

"Is everything alright?" she asked, seeing Kate curled up in his lap, still crying, "Does she have cancer or something?"

"I'm alright, Alexis," Kate said, turning to face her soon to be step daughter, "Come here."

"I'm gonna give you two some time alone," Castle said, "Do you want me to tell everyone else?"

"Go ahead," she said, "I'll be down in a little while with Alexis."

He nodded, kissing both his girls on the head before leaving them alone. He knew the conversation would be painful for both, but he also knew it was necessary. He headed back downstairs where everyone was clearly nervous and scared. Kate was not a crier, everyone knew that so the tears had shaken all of them.

"Is Katie alright?" Jim Beckett asked as Castle rejoined the group.

"Kate and I got some news yesterday," Castle said, looking at his friends and family, trying not to cry himself, "We went to the ER after she got bad cramps and heavy bleeding coupled with continuous vomiting and a high fever. They did an ultrasound and found that she was pregnant with triplets; however, one of them was miscarrying, causing the bleeding and cramping. She was admitted overnight to monitor the other two who are doing fine. However, losing the one baby, who we decided to call Carson Beckett Castle, has been hard on her, on us. She is being placed on desk duty at work for the rest of her pregnancy to help keep the remaining two safe."

"Oh my gosh," Lanie said, shaking her head as tears rolled down her cheeks. Kate's dad got up and walked out of the apartment, needing a little space. Jenny had tears rolling down her face as she held Olivia to her chest. Both Ryan and Esposito were in shock, Ryan looking at his little girl while Espo tried to comfort Lanie.

A moment later, Ryan got up, going to castle and hugging him. "I'm so sorry man," he said, "I can't even imagine."

"Thanks," Castle said, "I keep trying to think of the other two, how blessed we are that they are alright, but it's hard. Especially with Kate as torn up as she is."

Ryan nodded, shaking his head. "We're here for you man."

Castle smiled, nodding graciously. He then decided to go find Jim, hoping the man was alright.

Meanwhile, Kate and Alexis were sitting on the bed.

"Alexis," Kate said, looking at the younger woman, "I am so glad you are in my life. You and your dad have shown me things I had almost forgotten about after losing my mom."

"Kate," Alexis said, "I love you. You've been like a mom to me. Please tell me what's going on."

"Alright," Kate said, taking a deep breath, "Yesterday, I thought I had started my period. However, I went to work and as the day went by, I felt worse and worse. Your dad convinced me to come back here, where I started throwing up and my cramps got really bad. I couldn't hold down anything and my cramps got very intense. I was also running a fever. Your dad took me to the hospital where they did an ultrasound. They found that I was pregnant with triplets, but one of them was miscarrying."

By this point, tears were running down both women's cheeks.

"The other two were still alright," Kate continued through her tears, "They admitted me and the miscarriage completed. They kept me overnight, just to make sure the other two were alright. We decided to name the baby Carson Beckett Castle."

"Oh my gosh, Kate," Alexis said, wrapping the woman in a hug, "I'm so sorry."

"Thanks Alexis," Kate said, drying her tears a bit.

"Are the other two still ok?" Alexis asked after a few minutes.

"Yeah," Kate said, "You are going to be a big sister." Alexis smiled a bit at this. "I'm due around June 5th," Kate said.

After sitting there for a few minutes more, Kate decided she needed to go back to the rest of the group.

"Ready to go back out there?" Kate asked Alexis as she sat up.

Alexis nodded, wiping her eyes one last time. They walked out arm in arm. Kate scanned the room, not seeing her fiancé or father.

"Kate," Lanie said, getting up and going to her friend, "I am so sorry."

"Thanks Lanie," Kate said, "Where are my dad and Castle."

"When Castle told us the news," Ryan said, going to her and offering a hug, "You dad left and Castle went after him."

"I'm gonna go try to find them," Kate said, "Sorry for abandon you guys again."

"Don't worry about it," Esposito said, "You do whatever you need to."

Kate nodded, going out the door. She found her dad and Castle sitting on the floor just outside the apartment.

"Oh Katie," her dad said, getting up, "I'm so sorry."

"Thanks dad," she said, "What's going on?"

"I just needed a bit of space," he said, looking at her, "It just reminded me of your mom too much."

"What do you mean?" Kate asked, confused.

"Before you, your mom lost three separate pregnancies," her dad said, tears in his eyes, "We almost lost you too, but by some miracle you survived."

"I never knew," Kate said, tears in her eyes.

"We didn't think it mattered," Jim said, "We had our princess and that's all that mattered to us."

Kate smiled, hugging her dad. Castle got up, hugging both Becketts as they stood in the hall.

"Let's go back inside," Kate said, giving each of her favorite men on last hug before opening the door to the apartment. Everyone else was inside waiting, chatting quietly.

"I think I'm gonna get going Katie," her dad said, hugging her, "I'll call you later."

She nodded, hugging him, knowing he was probably going to visit her mom before it got dark.

Once he left, Kate went and sat on the couch next to Castle, putting her head in his shoulder. She half listened as everyone around her chatted quietly. She was emotionally more drained than she had been earlier. She was also physically tired, allowing her eyes to close for a minute as the conversations continued around her.

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**What should happen next? Should I end it here? I need your help. Let me know what you want to read. Thanks again for reading. Constructive feedback or nice reviews always welcome. :)**


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